Interview with M. Tara Crowl & Giveaway

Hey chumps! Today I want to present you M. Tara Crowl’s books Eden’s Whish and Eden’s Escape of the Eden of the Lamp series. The books may not be my usual YA/ Fantasy post but they’re no less unique and interesting;) I interviews the author of the two books and of course I don’t want to leave you out 😉

I’m also hosting a Giveaway for the first book of the Eden of the Lamp series! Just write your Name ( with link to your blog or email adress if you don’t have a blog) in the comments and the winner will be selected on the 12th of February via Email.

Interview

Why did you start writing stories?

As a child, I read constantly and dreamed of writing my own books. In high school, I changed direction and decided I wanted to make movies, so I moved to Los Angeles and went to film school at the University of Southern California. After graduating, I worked in Hollywood for a producer and a literary manager, and then at a talent agency. That was when I realized that my dream of writing books hadn’t gone anywhere; it was still alive and well. So I dropped everything in LA and moved to Sydney, Australia for a Master’s program in Creative Writing.

What gave you the idea for the Eden of the Lamp series?

I was on a plane, listening to the audio book of Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder. It mentions the prospect of meeting a genie and being able to make three wishes. When we think about the genie myth, I think most of us do usually see it from that perspective, and dream about what we’d wish for. But that day, I started to imagine what it would be like to be a genie. You’d have no friends, no fresh air, and no freedom. You could only leave the lamp when some random person rubbed it, and you could only stay on Earth for as long as it took to grant their wishes. You could give people their greatest fantasies, but you’d have no power over your own life. That was infuriating to me.

From there, I started to dream up the character of Eden. She’s in love with the world, but she can’t explore it until she’s completed her career as a genie. The story started with her character, and grew from there.

Do you have a favourite author?

If I have to choose one, I’d say Roald Dahl.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

There’s a middle-grade book that I wrote before I went to school to study writing. I finished a draft and revised it a little, but never completed revisions. I haven’t looked at it for years. Currently, I’m halfway through a new manuscript.

Is there an Eden in real life? Or somebody the main character is based on?

No, Eden isn’t based on anyone. She’s just the character I dreamed up when I came up with the book’s premise and started to imagine someone in her circumstances.

If you had three wishes free, what would you wish for?

1.The ability to travel to the past — not to change anything, just to experience it.

2.Perfect control over my memory, so I could remember everything I want to remember, and forget what I want to forget.

3.For every person on Earth to experience real, true love.

What kind of research do you do and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I think experience is the best research. For me, being in the place where the story is set is really helpful. Seeing the buildings and the terrain, hearing its sounds, feeling its weather, meeting people who live there. It’s hard for me to write about a place if I don’t feel like I’m familiar with it.

Beyond that, it depends what the book is about. I try not to get too bogged down in research, but there always ends up being more than I anticipate. For the story to ring true, you’ve got to get details right, no matter how inconsequential they might seem. Every bit of incorrect information has the power to break the story’s spell for a reader.

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Eden’s Wish

(Eden of the Lamp #1)

By M. Tara Crowl

From Disney-Hyperion

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Ages 9-12

All twelve years of Eden’s life have been spent in an antique oil lamp. She lives like a princess inside her tiny, luxurious home; but to Eden, the lamp is nothing but a prison. She hates being a genie. All she wants, more than anything, is freedom.

When Eden finds a gateway to Earth within the lamp, she takes her chance and enters the world she loves. And this time, she won’t be sent back after three wishes.

Posing as the new kid at a California middle school, Eden revels in all of Earth’s pleasures–but quickly learns that this world isn’t as perfect as she always thought it was. Eden soon finds herself in the middle of a centuries-old conflict between powerful immortals. A ruthless organization run by a former genie will stop at nothing to acquire the lamp and its power–even hurt Tyler and Sasha, the new mortal friends who have given Eden a home. To save her friends and protect the lamp’s magic, Eden must decide once and for all where she belongs.

Eden’s new life on earth begins in New York City under the guidance of her new guardian: Pepper, a petite, bubbly genie alum who’s also a Broadway actress. Before she has a chance to settle in, though, Eden is whisked away for a granting–only to find herself trapped in a laboratory. David Brightly, owner of the world’s leading tech company, cares more about tapping into the lamp’s power than making a wish and starts performing tests on Eden. With Brightly’s plasma shield around the lamp, Eden has no way home. Left without a choice, she escapes the lab and goes on the run. After her daring exit, Eden finds herself on the streets of Paris–home to Electra’s headquarters. Left in a strange city with a price on her head (courtesy of scheming Brightly), Eden has to keep her wits about her. She dons a chic disguise and flits around Paris incognito, investigating Brightly Tech. Assisted by Pepper and her old adversary Bola, as well as some new friends, Eden embarks on a quest to retrieve the lamp and protect the secrets of the genie legacy.

PRAISE

“Crowl’s imaginative storyline rings with both perception and humor.”

―Kirkus Reviews

“Middle grade readers will enjoy the children’s autonomy and Eden’s humorous difficulties in grasping how school works…Hand this to readers who like their magical fantasy combined with middle school drama.”

―School Library Journal

“An imaginative romp with a smart, snarky protagonist and a humorous interpretation of the world as we know it…[Eden] is also just plain entertaining, with a sassy attitude and a clever wit that saves her on more than one occasion.”

―BCCB

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. Tara Crowl grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She studied Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, then received an MA in Creative Writing at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. She lives in New York City.

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Author: RibbonReviews

Hey there! My name is Klara and I love reading and to share my thoughts about the things I read. I know how hard it can be to choose your next read. So I realized that I should start my own Blog not only tell the people out there what new literature is worth taking a look at. But also what other books are out there and have been long forgotten ;))
View all posts by RibbonReviews

I loved the Eden of the Lamp series! I loved the first book and liked the second one (I thought that Eden’s Wish was better than Eden’s Escape honestly). I also got to interview M. Tara Crowl, and my interview can be found on my blog if you’d like to check it out! I’m hoping to see her at the SE-YA Book Fest! I loved interviewing her! 🙂